A heart for homes and homesteads

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Jovick Construction

A heart for homes and homesteads

Story by Valerie Coulman

Photography provided by Jovick Construction

Southern Oregon offers a wide variety of locations for homeowners of all tastes, and Dan and Laurie Jovick, founders and owners of Jovick Construction in Ashland, have found a unique business niche that began years ago with a summer job.

“When Dan was in college at SOU, he took advantage of an opportunity offered through one of his business classes to run a painting company for one summer,” recalls Laurie. “He ended up making customers so happy that they were inviting him to work on small building and remodeling projects.” The requests continued to grow, and the Jovicks quickly saw a business opportunity. “So we sat down and decided that if he wanted to go for it, then WE would really go for it!” laughs Laurie. “Once we commit to something,” she admits, “we really go for it.”

“Laurie and I,” says Dan, “that was the team. We’ve literally painted houses and laid floors together.” That was fifteen years ago, and they are proud of the growth they have seen over the years. Like many businesses, they have had their ups and downs, including a difficult recession. Overall, however, they have seen their business grow in a field they love. “We've experienced tremendous growth since we started out,” says Laurie. “Those early days evolved into bigger remodels, then eventually building new homes, then commercial projects and homesteads.”

In homestead planning and building, Dan found a space in the industry that sits close to his heart, which he attributes to his Montana roots where he frequently helped his grandparents on their ranch. “It’s really been something we’ve been passionate about,” he says, “that connection between the land and the home.” He estimates that approximately sixty percent of their current business is focused on helping establish homestead properties in the area.

“Building a homestead requires a different set of skills than a home in a city neighborhood,” he says. “Of course you are building an amazing LEED home, but you have to take into account the infrastructure aspect of the project. Each piece of land has its own challenges, and each site is special. Some parcels are totally raw with not even a road, others have some infrastructure in place and we help determine the value of each item. The land interacts with the home in many ways and we love being an integral part of that process.” They have found that their client properties often inspire the projects from design to completion.

“Each project we work on is as unique as its owners,” says Laurie, and their collaborative team approach lets them establish clear communication from the very start. Homestead development is a lengthier process than typical residential home building, and Dan work closely with owners and the different contractors and consultants each step of the way. He is very involved in the process, which includes working with architects, local utility departments, fire chiefs, subcontractors, and more to build out the properties. “Having this group of professionals collaborating from the early stages of the project saves time, money, and stress in the long run.”

“There are so many variables when it comes to building a new home,” adds Laurie. “Often times, clients invest a lot of time and money into getting their plans drawn by an architect, only to find that they cannot actually afford to build what has been drawn! By working as a team throughout the design process, we catch problems while they are still on paper, rather than in the middle of the building project.”

It also allows them to take a holistic approach to the home’s design, build schedule, and budget. “We make sure all these variables are working together to produce a high performance, energy saving, healthy home,” says Laurie. Jovick Construction provides open clear communication with each client every step of the way, using an innovative online project management system that includes schedule updates, photos, and material options for clients, whether on-hand or on-line. The result, says Laurie, is “a lot of happy clients and a growing list of referrals and repeat customers.”

Every Jovick-built home is LEED certified. “We don’t do anything else,” says Dan, and he has found that clients expect nothing less, though their reasons may vary. “Anybody that does a little research understands the payoffs,” he says. “People that are financially savvy see that the little extra investment up front pays big dividends over the years. The environmental aspect is the cherry on top.” Jovick’s commitment to beautiful, well-built, and healthy homes and homesteads includes energy efficiency throughout, locally sourced and produced materials, and high indoor air quality systems.

The Jovicks take the same pride of quality to their commercial builds and are looking to expand that knowledge into uniquely-focused commercial projects. “We’re not looking for your typical commercial construction,” admits Dan. “We’re looking for the ones that take a little more care; the ones people put their heart into.” True to their passions, the Jovicks are looking to focus on winery, agricultural, and equestrian commercial projects. “These types of projects are some of the most challenging building types to construct,” admits Dan, and their team is confident in their ability to bring the dreams of these facility owners to their highest quality standards through expansion, renovations, or new construction.

The Jovick Construction core values stand true of their builds and of their involvement in their community: “Do the right thing. Build to last. Share the good.” Dan is currently chairperson of a local peer group of Ashland designers, architects, and trades people called the Splinters, and was also part of starting an apprentice carpenter scholarship program at Ashland High School. Jovick Construction has been involved with charity events, sponsoring kids’ ski groups, and Dan regularly visits local schools. “I love getting kids excited about carpentry,” says Dan. “I see it as part of my overall purpose—to help increase awareness of how awesome and how many opportunities there are in the trades.”

It’s all part of their big vision, and Jovick Construction is confident in its ability to accomplish it with each client home, homestead, or commercial project as they build the connection between heart and home here in Southern Oregon.